Ypres, << EE pruh >> (pop. 34,971), is a Belgian city in West Flanders, in the Dutch-speaking part of the country. The city’s Dutch name is Ieper << EE puhr >> . Linen and lace are made in Ypres from the flax of Flanders.
Ypres became famous as a center of the textile industry about 1300. At that time, its population was about 20,000, almost as great as London’s. In World War I (1914-1918), Ypres was the scene of severe fighting, and it was almost destroyed. It was rebuilt, but again became a battleground during World War II (1939-1945).
See also Ypres, Battles of .
